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Yeah, it was supposed to take 3 games, but I'm sure the Rockies conceded yesterday because they knew the Padres bullpen would be coming in early and give the Padres offense the chance to take the lead and sweep the 3 game series. So, they looked at the clouds and said, "you know what? Let's just do this game all over again in September when we have 40 guys in the dugout?"
At least that's the way I saw it going down.
Anyways, this 3 game series became a 2 game series and while technically the series doesn't end until after the game in September, I can do what I want and I'm giving the Padres the sweep.
In the last series of the first half, the Padres took 2 out of 3 from the Texas Rangers and produced the closest Series MVP vote to date. Yangervis Solarte took the honors with 41% of the vote with Matt Kemp close behind with 38%.
| atters | Starters | Relievers |
| Single- 2 points per | Win- 10 points | Win- 5 points |
| Double- 4 points per | Loss- Minus 5 points | Loss- Minus 3 points |
| Triple- 6 points per | IP- 3 points per | IP-3 points per |
| Home Run- 8 points per | K- 2 points per | K- 2 points per |
| RBI- 2 points per | Hits- Minus 1 points per | Hits- Minus 2 points per |
| Run- 1 point per | BB- Minus 2 points per | BB- Minus 2 points per |
| Walk- 1 point per | ER- Minus 2 points per | ER- Minus 2 points per |
| SB- 1 point per | QS- 3 points | Hold/Save- 5 points |
| CS- Minus 1 point per | CG- 6 points | Blown Save- Minus 3 points |
| K- Minus 2 points per | ||
| GIDP- Minus 3 points per | ||
| Error- Minus 1 point per |
| Batters | Game 1 | Game 2 | Total |
| Alonso | 0 | -3 | -3 |
| Amarista | X | X | 0 |
| Barmes | X | 11 | 11 |
| Gyorko | 10 | -2 | 8 |
| Hedges | X | 11 | 11 |
| Kemp | 14 | 4 | 18 |
| Middlebrooks | -1 | X | -1 |
| Norris | -2 | X | -2 |
| Solarte | -2 | 4 | 2 |
| J. Upton | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| M. Upton Jr. | -5 | 2 | -3 |
| Venable | 0 | -2 | -2 |
| Wallace | X | 2 | 2 |
| Shields | -4 | X | -4 |
| Ross | X | -2 | -2 |
| Starters | Game 1 | Game 2 | Total |
| Shields | 20 | X | 20 |
| Ross | X | 19 | 19 |
| Relievers | Game 1 | Game 2 | Total |
| Benoit | 12 | 8 | 20 |
| Despaigne | X | X | 0 |
| Garces | X | X | 0 |
| Kelley | X | X | 0 |
| Kimbrel | 10 | 14 | 24 |
| Mateo | 10 | X | 10 |
| Maurer | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Quackenbush | X | X | 0 |
| Thayer | X | X | 0 |
| Vincent | X | X | 0 |
For this series, I could have really used that 3rd game that got washed away. Clint Barmes, Justin Upton, Austin Hedges, and Jedd Gyorko could have used another at-bat or two in an effort to try and pass Kemp's point output for the series. The rain also washed away Andrew Cashner's best start of the season and kept the bullpen in its pen.
So, I'm going to switch things up for this series.
Hitting
Pitching.
You are going to vote for the offensive output or the quality pitching for series MVP.
The Padres came out hitting home runs to guide the Padres offense and provide the pitchers with run support. While the starters pitched well to keep the game in Padres control, the Padres bullpen of Joaquin Benoit, Craig Kimbrel, Marcos Mateo, and Brandon Maurer came out to shut down the Rockies and secure the victories in the shortened series.
Hitting vs. Pitching
Home Runs vs. Strikeouts
The vote is yours for Series MVP.